Traction battery failure at 113k

You have my sympathy but there will always be a percentage of failures with any vehicle. It doesn't help that you 'drew the short straw,' but it happens.

My traction battery studies have been on the NHW11 version with one example of an NHW20 battery module. That the NHW20 modules are better does not mean there can't be problems. The one lesson learned is "heat is the enemy." Without fail, the car should be kept out of direct sunlight in the summer and avoid driving patterns that can induce higher traction battery temperatures.

The failed battery module will continue to get hotter and hotter. As another poster reported, they can get hot enough to 'explode' or fracture the case from the heat and gas.

Personally, it is time to shop for a salvage battery, $400-500, and/or consider that for ~$2,200-2,500, you could buy the battery and do the change yourself. This will return your Prius, a 45-50 MPG vehicle, to service.

The other option, is to put in a salvage battery and sell the car. I suspect you'll soon discover the best replacement car is the one you are selling but you'll have to make that judgement.

As for the opinions of co-workers, that is something you'll have to decide about.

Bob Wilson

 

What were the cars symptoms? How does the dealer know it's the hybrid battery? What codes did they retrieve? I've seen a lot of claims of hybrid battery failure but it was something else.

Wayne

 

I agree with Bob. Personally I'd go the salvage route. Why get new when used will do and the failure rate of the Prius battery pack is so very low.
Wayne makes a good point. I recall people being told their car needed a traction battery but a poor 12 volt battery caused a mis-diagnosis.
Get and post some codes.

Can I ask a couple of questions?
Have you had the car from new?
Have you ever driven the car on the traction battery after running out of fuel?
Just a little personal research.

 

Bob,(hi)I thought the NHW20 battery pack was modular, and you could just replace the module(aren't there 30 or so modules) that is bad?

I've seem Prius II battery packs on Ebay for $600 or so. I wonder if you can just replace the battery and drive off into the sunset? I would expect Toyota to have some special gadget to "tell" the electronic control unit that "this is a new battery"-they never seem to make it easy for DIY repairs.
Is it strictly plug in the new(used) one, and that is it?
Thanks,
Charlie

 

Seems like replacement would make the most sense. The OP has put 113k on a 2005, so with that sort of annual mileage keeping a vehicle longer makes a lot of sense.

In order to determine whether or not the mileage savings was really lost, one would need to compare the upkeep with another comparable vehicle. Brake jobs and such would factor in. Plus, if one gets another 113k out of the next battery, the car is going to be down to minimal value anyway, and the effective cost of this out of warranty replacement will be half of what it appears to be now.

 

I thought the traction battery on the 2005's were warranteed for 150k?

 

shop around. i recently talked with someone who salvages wrecked Pri's and he had one that had a damaged traction battery and he says you can get one for total of around $1000-1200 installed (most of that cost is labor) . in fact, he would do it. traction batteries are usually the first things salvaged in wrecked Pri's and can be had for cheap

 

Yes, I do not recommend that you continue to drive the vehicle in "limp home" mode.

Although it is possible to replace individual modules, the modules all need to produce similar voltage under load or else the battery ECU will produce a fault code. This implies some amount of charging or discharging of the modules that are being added, so this may not be easy to do.

The battery can be replaced with a good salvage unit without problems - assuming that you are comfortable dealing with high voltage and high current situations.

This is true only for vehicles sold, operated, and licensed in CA and other PZEV states.

Yes, this is a reasonable idea if you can find an independent Prius mechanic who will do this, or else DIY.

 

Ditto that!

Check the 12V battery voltage at the jump points under the hood. Weird stuff can happen when that battery is near death (that is, 12.0 or less). With the car OFF it should measure 12.6 V to 12.8V. If you don't have a voltmeter use the selftest procedure given here:
http://www.myhybridcar.com/forums/toyota-prius/217-checking-12v-battery-health.html

 

is that in cali only, i think

 

P0atrick Wong-thanks for the info.

What is the "normal" traction battery warranty outside CA? I sure hope it isn't 3/36000. I was under the impression that it was considered an "EPA" pollution control device, and therefore had to be covered until 100,000 miles?
As I wrote the above I reflected on how much of a stretch it would be to consider a battery an "EPA" pollution control device, so I have my doubt.
Thanks,
Charlie

 

8years/100K miles

 

Basic: 3 yr. / 36,000 mi. Drivetrain: 5 yr. / 60,000 mi. Hybrid Component: 8 yr. / 100,000 mi. Roadside: 3 yr. / 36,000 mi. Rust: 5 yr. / Unlimited mi.

 

Green states have the 150,000 warranty. I know NY, MA and a couple other NE states (forgot which).

 

Or in the case of many GM or Ford vehicles.... a new transmission at 100k or less. Seen that happen more times than I can count.

 

The mechanic is supposed to remove the orange interlock switch located on the left side of the battery case. Then, wait 5 minutes (so that the capacitors in the inverter will discharge), and use a voltmeter on the orange battery cables where they connect to the battery to confirm that there's no high voltage in the system, measuring across the cables as well as from each cable to ground. At that point it should be safe to remove the battery cabling.

The traction battery case contains three "system main relays". Two of those relays disconnect/connect both sides of the traction battery from/to the cable connectors, while the purpose of the third relay is to allow graceful application of high voltage via a current-limiting resistor, until the capacitors charge up.

If the mechanic does not understand this, then I am wondering whether that individual will be able to perform the job.

 

100,000 miles- not bad-thanks all.

I noticed that both the traction battery failures being discussed on the forum now-6-3-09 - are Houston area-hot and lots of traffic, so plenty of traction battery use.

Thanks,
Charlie

 

not sure if that right many here in Fla have no failures....